Board Game and Method of Playing

ABSTRACT

A board game and method of playing includes a game board having an upper surface. A plurality of sleeves is positioned on the upper surface and each has a category indicia positioned thereon. Each of a plurality of point markers represents a point value. Question cards include a question and answer thereon related to one of the category indicia such that each category indicia includes multiple ones of the question cards. The question cards are removably positioned in the sleeves having an associated one of the category indicia. A plurality of category selectors is included and each has indicia thereon relating to one of the category indicia. Each of the category selectors comprises a loose member. A shaker releasably holds the category selectors and randomly releases one of the category selectors. An order selector provides random number selection to determine an order of play.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to educational board games and more particularly pertains to a new educational board game for providing entertainment and education while playing a game and in particular to provide a learning experience with respect to African culture, history and geography.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a game board having an upper surface. A plurality of sleeves is positioned on the upper surface and each of the sleeves has a category indicia positioned thereon. Each sleeve includes a different one of the category indicia than the other ones of the sleeves. Each of a plurality of point markers represents a point value. Question cards each include a question and answer thereon related to one of the category indicia such that each category indicia includes multiple ones of the question cards. The question cards are removably positioned in one sleeves including an associated one of the category indicia. A plurality of category selectors is included and each has indicia thereon relating to one of the category indicia. Each of the category selectors comprises a loose member. A shaker releasably holds the category selectors and randomly releases one of the category selectors. An order selector provides random number selection to determine an order of play.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a board game and method of playing according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a plurality of point markers of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of an order selector of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an order selector of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shaker of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view a cup and point markers of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new educational board game embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the board game and method of playing 10 generally comprises a game board 12 having an upper surface 14. The upper surface may include images related to Africa such as map of Africa as is shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of sleeves 16 is positioned on the upper surface 14 and each of the sleeves 16 has a category indicia 18 positioned thereon. Each sleeve 16 includes a different one of the category indicia 18 than the other ones of the sleeves 16. The sleeves 16 may comprise boxes having an open end for receiving some of a plurality of question cards 20. Each of the question cards 20 has a question and answer thereon related to one of the category indicia 18 such that each category indicia 18 includes multiple ones of the question cards 20. The question cards 20 are removably positioned in one sleeves 16 including an associated one of the category indicia 18. The category indicia 18 may include history, flags, countries, personalities, geography and culture, and economy and integration. Thus, a question card 20 related to flags would be placed into the sleeve 16 having the flag category indicia 18 thereon.

The question cards 20 may be provided with a question on one side and a correct answer on the other. The questions may include images that are reflective of the question. Thus, a map of Africa may be shown and one of the countries highlighted along with the stated question: “Which country is highlighted?” The opposite side of the question card 20 will provide the correct answer. However, the opposite side of the question card 20 may provide multiple choice answers wherein only one of the multiple choice answers is the correct one. The correct answer may be highlighted by bolding, underlining, or some other conventional means, to indicate to the player asking the question which of the multiple choice questions is correct.

A plurality of point markers 22 is provided to assist the players in tracking their points as the game is played. Each of the point markers 22 representing a point value and each of the point markers 22 may be shaped like mask and have a length, width and height each is less than 2.0 inches. The masks are representative of tribal masks of Africa. The point markers 22 may at least include a first quantity of the point makers, a second quantity of the point markers, and a third quantity of the point makers, wherein each of the first, second and third quantities has a different point value with respect to each other. The first, second and third quantities may also be colored a different color with respect to each other to more easily differentiate them from each other. The point markers 22 of the first quantity may be worth 3 points, the point markers 22 of the second quantity may be worth 2 points, and the point markers 22 of the third quantity may be worth 1 point. A plurality of cups 24 is provided and each of the cups 24 removably receives one the point markers 22 when a player receives the point markers. Thus, each player will have a cup to retain their awarded points. The point markers 22 and used question cards 20 may be held in one of several boxes 26 attached to the upper surface 14.

A plurality of category selectors 28 is provided to direct a player as to which type of question they will be answering. Each the category selectors 28 has indicia 30 thereon relating to one of the category indicia 18 and each of the category selectors 28 comprises a loose member. For example, a category selector 28 may include the letter E which relates to the category “economy and integration” marked on one of the sleeves 16 and whose contained question cards 20 are related to that category indicia 18. A shaker 32 releasably holds the category selectors 28 and is configured to randomly release only one of the category selectors 28 at a time. The shaker 32 may include a housing 34 and a tube 36 in fluid communication with the housing 34 wherein only one of the category selectors 28 is removable at a time from the housing 34 through the tube 36. Each of the category selectors 28 may comprise a sphere to facilitate rolling of category selectors 28 through the tube 36.

An order selector 38 is provided and provides random numbers to determine an order of play. The order selector 38 comprise a plurality of bodies 40 and each of the bodies 40 has a same shape and size with respect to each other. Each of the bodies 40 has a top edge 42, a bottom edge 44, a front side 46 and a back side 48. A plurality of panels 50 is provided and each of the bodies 40 has one of the panels 50 mounted therein between associated ones of the front 46 and back 48 sides. Each of the panels 50 has a number 52 positioned thereon. Each panel 50 has a different number 52 with respect to others of the panels 50. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the panels 50 are each slidably positionable in stored position in an associated body 40 to conceal the number 52 thereon or in an extended position displaying the number 52 therein. Each panel 50 includes a grip 54 extending through an aperture 56 in the front side 46 to facilitate moving the panel 50 between the stored and extended positions. Each of the bodies 40 has a shape resembling the African continent and the bottom edges 44 are formed into base to retain the bodies 40 in an upright orientation.

In use, the game is begun by each player selecting a body 40 and displaying the number 52 thereon. The players' turns are then done in order of lowest to highest number 52 with the first player asking the second player a question, then the second player asking the third player a question and so on. The players may arrange themselves in physical order once the order has been determined by the order selector 38. The players may also select a total number of questions to be asked during the game as well as time limit that will be provided to each player to answer a particular question. The players may also elect to play as teams with each team includes multiple persons.

With respect to asking a question, there is defined a question asker and a question responder. The question responder will begin by using the shaker 32 and category selectors 28 to randomly select a category. The question asker will then remove a question card 20 from its sleeve 16 and will ask the question responder the question. If the question responder answers the question correctly, they will be awarded the most points available, such as three points. If the question responder does not know or incorrectly answers the question, the next player in order may attempt to answer and this is repeated until the question is answered correctly or no players correctly answer the question. At that time, the question asker will provide a hint such as a first letter of the correct answer or a number in the answer if the question is related to a year of a historical event. The question is then repeated to all players and a correct answer will be awarded a next highest point award which may be two points. Finally, if no player still knows the correct answer, the question asker may provide all multiple choice answers to see if the question responder can correctly answer and if they can, the question responder is awarded the lowest point award which may be one point.

The players being awarded points are provided with point markers 22 equal to their points and these point markers 22 are retained until the end of the game. Once the decided upon number of questions has been asked, all players add up their point markers 22 to determine who has been awarded the most points. The player with the highest point total wins the game.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A game assembly comprising: a game board having an upper surface; a plurality of sleeves being positioned on said upper surface, each of said sleeves having a category indicia positioned thereon, wherein each sleeve include a different one of said category indicia than said other ones of said sleeves; a plurality of point markers, each of said point markers representing a point value; a plurality of question cards, each of said question cards having a question and answer thereon related to one of said category indicia such that each category indicia includes multiple ones of said question cards, each of said question cards being removably positioned in one sleeves including an associated one of said category indicia; a plurality of category selectors, each said category selectors having indicia thereon relating to one of said category indicia, each of said category selectors comprising a loose member; a shaker releasably holding said category selectors, said shaker being configured to randomly release one of said category selectors; and an order selector being provided and providing random numbers to determine an order of play.
 2. The game assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said point markers is shaped like mask and having a length, width and height each being less than 2.0 inches.
 3. The game assembly according to claim 2, wherein said point markers include a first quantity of said point makers, a second quantity of said point markers, and a third quantity of said point makers, each of said first, second and third quantities having a different point value with respect to each other, each of said first, second and third quantities being colored a different color with respect to each other.
 4. The game assembly according to claim 3, wherein said point markers of said first quantity being worth 3 points, said point markers of said second quantity being worth 2 points, and said point markers of said third quantity being worth 1 point.
 5. The game assembly according to claim 1, wherein said category indicia including history, flags, countries, personalities, geography and culture, and economy and integration.
 6. The game assembly according to claim 1, wherein said shaker includes a housing and a tube in fluid communication with said housing, wherein only one of said category selectors is removable at a time from said housing through said tube.
 7. The game assembly according to claim 6, wherein each of said category selectors comprises a sphere.
 8. The game assembly according to claim 1, wherein said order selector comprises a plurality of bodies, each of said bodies having a same shape and size with respect to each other, each of said bodies having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front side and a back side, a plurality of panels being provided and each of said bodies having one of said panels mounted therein between associated ones of said front and back sides, each of said panels having a number positioned thereon, each said panel having a different number with respect to others of said panels, each of said panels being slidably positionable in stored position in said body concealing said number thereon or in an extended position displaying said number therein.
 9. The game assembly according to claim 8, wherein each panel includes a grip extending through an aperture in said front side to facilitate moving said panel between said stored and extended positions.
 10. The game assembly according to claim 9, wherein each of said bodies has a shape resembling the African continent.
 11. The game assembly according to claim 8, further including a plurality of cups, each of said cups removably receiving one said point markers when a player receives said point markers.
 12. A game assembly comprising: a game board having an upper surface; a plurality of sleeves being positioned on said upper surface, each of said sleeves having a category indicia positioned thereon, wherein each sleeve include a different one of said category indicia than said other ones of said sleeves; a plurality of point markers, each of said point markers representing a point value, each of said point markers being shaped like mask and having a length, width and height each being less than 2.0 inches, said point markers including a first quantity of said point makers, a second quantity of said point markers, and a third quantity of said point makers, each of said first, second and third quantities having a different point value with respect to each other, each of said first, second and third quantities being colored a different color with respect to each other, said point markers of said first quantity being worth 3 points, said point markers of said second quantity being worth 2 points, and said point markers of said third quantity being worth 1 point; a plurality of question cards, each of said question cards having a question and answer thereon related to one of said category indicia such that each category indicia includes multiple ones of said question cards, each of said question cards being removably positioned in one sleeves including an associated one of said category indicia, said category indicia including history, flags, countries, personalities, geography and culture, and economy and integration; a plurality of category selectors, each said category selectors has indicia thereon relating to one of said category indicia, each of said category selectors comprising a loose member; a shaker releasably holding said category selectors, said shaker being configured to randomly release one of said category selectors, said shaker including a housing and a tube in fluid communication with said housing, wherein only one of said category selectors is removable at a time from said housing through said tube, each of said category selectors comprising a sphere; an order selector being provided and providing random numbers to determine an order of play, said order selector comprising a plurality of bodies, each of said bodies having a same shape and size with respect to each other, each of said bodies having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front side and a back side, a plurality of panels being provided and each of said bodies having one of said panels mounted therein between associated ones of said front and back sides, each of said panels having a number positioned thereon, each said panel having a different number with respect to others of said panels, each of said panels being slidably positionable in stored position in said body concealing said number thereon or in an extended position displaying said number therein, each panel including a grip extending through an aperture in said front side to facilitate moving said panel between said stored and extended positions, each of said bodies having a shape resembling the African continent; and a plurality of cups, each of said cups removably receiving one said point markers when a player receives said point markers. 